Taxom: The genus Dryophytes was first described by Fitzinger in 1843. Later it was placed into the genus Hyla, the true tree frogs, by Boulenger in 1882. Fouquette and Dubois 2014, treated Dryophytes as a subgenus of Hyla. Dryophytes was finally resurrected as an independent genus by Duellman in 2016. Only geographical, rather than morphological, differences separates Dryophytes from the genus Hyla. Hyla is found only in the Old World, whereas Dryophytes is distributed in the New World. Most members occur in North America
Description:Dryophytes wrightorum is a species of frog with a snout-vent length of 0.75 to 2 inches. It has a blunt snout, with a prominent and smooth canthus rostralis that curves inwards. The nostrils sit underneath the edge of the canthus rostralis. The distance between the nostrils is about equal to the distance between the nostril to the eye. The region around the nostrils is somewhat raised. There is a faint shallow groove between the nostrils. The skin is smooth on the back, granular on the underside. There is primitive webbing between the first three fingers, and no webbing on between the other fingers. The fingertips are slightly enlarged. The legs are relatively long, and the toe tips are smaller than the fingertips. The tarsal fold is prominent, as are the inner and outer metatarsal tubercles. The feet are slightly webbed. Two proximal subarticular tubercles are found on the fourth toe. The supernumerary tubercles on the hands and feet are prominent.
Habitat: It frequents ponds, slow-moving streams, and other relatively lentic bodies of water in semi-arid regions by pine and fir forests. It can be found on the ground or on trees and other vegetation
Range: It is found from the mountains of central Arizona, specifically the Petran Montane Conifer Forest Biome along the Mogollon Rim, southeastward to the western part of central New Mexico. There is also an isolated population in Huachuca Mountains, Cochise County, Arizona, that extends southward to the Sierra Madre Occidental of Chihuahua, Mexico.
Diet: Little is known of the food habits of this species, though stomach contents of seven specimens from west-central Arizon found beetles, spiders, earthworms, flies and grass particles. Larvae probably eat algae, organic debris, and plant tissue.
Reproduction: Breeding occurs in slow-moving bodies of water. Males call during the breeding season, and the dominant frequency is of their call is inversely proportional to their snout-vent length.
Status: Globally it is classified as a Species of Least Concern, while Arizona and New Mexico both have it classified as Vulnerable.
Disclaimer: ITIS taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available, and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties. However, it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes. While every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and up-to-date information available, ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in provisions of treaties to which the United States is a party, wildlife statutes, regulations, and any applicable notices that have been published in the Federal Register. For further information on U.S. legal requirements with respect to protected taxa, please contact the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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